How could she refuse? There were the long smooth sands on either side
the Eden, stretching away into indefinite distance, with not a human
being upon them to break their loneliness, or, if there was, he or she
looked a mere dot, not human at all. Even if these two had been afraid
of being seen walking together--which they hardly were, being too
unimportant for any one to care whether they were friends or lovers, or
what not--there was nobody to see them, except in the character of two
black dots on the yellow sands.

"It is low water; suppose we go and look for sea-anemones. One of my
pupils wants some, and I promised to try and find one the first spare
hour I had."

"But we shall not find anemones on the sands."

"Shells, then, you practical woman! We'll gather shells. It will be
all the same to that poor invalid boy--and to me," added he, with that
involuntary sigh which she had noticed more than once, and which had
begun to strike on her ears not quite painfully. Sighs, when we are
young, mean differently to what they do in after-years. "I don't care
very much where I go, or what I do; I only want--well, to be happy for
an hour, if Providence will let me."

"Why should not Providence let you?" said Fortune, gently. "Few people
deserve it more."

"You are kind to think so; but you are always kind to every body."

By this time they had left their position by the laurel bush, and were
walking along side by side, according as he had suggested. This silent,